Your back (spine, muscles and ligaments) is a complex structure that provides support for your entire body. It is because of this that back pain can also be associated with and responsible for many other conditions in the body. For example; if your mid back (Thoracic Spine) is tight with contracted muscles, this in turn can be responsible for headaches and sometimes even migraines. So treating the neck alone will not produce results for headaches in some patients. Also, if your lower back or pelvis is rotated, a person may experience knee, ankle or foot pain, yet no lower back pain.
The practitioners at the Natural Healing Centre understand that your body is an integrated unit and needs to be treated as a complete organism for lasting results. Your back/spine is the centre of your entire body therefore we stress the importance of back/spinal health.
The majority of people with back pain do not have any significant damage to their spine. The pain associated with back pain comes from the muscles, ligaments and joints. These being often compressed and impinging on the nerves that branch out from the spine.
Some factors that may contribute to back pain are:
- Stress–Causing muscle tension or contraction.
- Low Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D levels in the body.
- Arthritis
- Diseased or inflamed organs within the abdomen.
- Pregnancy
- Infections to the bone
- Weak muscles
- Heavy lifting
- Exercise–Either due to none or sporting injuries.
- Bad posture
- Osteoporosis
- Sciatica
- Bulging Disc
The list is extensive but most importantly, if you suffer from back pain, or any type of pain, we stress that you see a practitioner so they may determine not only the cause, but also assist with immediate pain relief, plus provide you with an ongoing treatment plan to help prevent the issue from reoccurring.
Generally speaking, back pain can be treated and prevented by making a few changes to your lifestyle. Such as:
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Correct posture
- When lifting and carrying heavy loads, keep your back straight and let your legs carry the bulk of the weight, or use a trolley.
- Exercise regularly–this is important to improve posture and increase muscle support of the spine. We recommend a minimum 30 minutes a day.
- When driving, standing or sitting for long periods of time, take regular breaks and stretch. This will help change the position of your joints and loosen your muscles.
- Relax–learn some relaxation techniques to reduce stress levels and related muscle tension.
- Change your mattress–surfaces that are too soft or too hard can aggravate a sore back. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
On a positive note, given the correct care, knowledge and perseverance our practitioners can confidently say most conditions are treatable. Between a combination of massage, manipulation, heat and cold therapy, Bowen therapy, Acupuncture and an extensive range of natural anti-inflammatory, pain relief and muscle relaxant supplements, you will be on your way to recovery. It doesn’t stop when you leave the clinic; our practitioners will provide you with the tools needed in your day to day life and help you understand what you’re dealing with and how to manage your pain.
